Winterize help

Hey guys, I’m a 4-stroke noob….just picked up a 2004 evinrude 4-stroke this season, and sadly I’ve got to put my boat in storage for the season this weekend.

Since it was a used unit, it didn’t come with an owners manual and I haven’t had luck finding anything online.

Anyway, just looking to change my engine oil and gearcase oil. There’s 2 screws on the starboard side of the lower unit at the same height…one labelled “flush” and one labelled “oil”…and then of course one way down that’s unmarked that’s the drain. I’m assuming the new gearcase oil goes in the “oil” port? Just wondering what the “flush” would be.

Then on the port side, higher up near the trim switch is a big hex-head screw…is that the engine oil drain? I got an oil extractor thinking that might be a little less messy…what do you guys recommend?

If any of you are evinrude guys, I’d appreciate the help! Just trying to save a few dollars doing the stuff myself and this is my first season winterizing a 4-stroke.

Thanks!

Standard procedure for replacing the lower unit oil is to fill from the drain hole until it starts to spill out of the upper hole. When you put the plug screw back in the upper hole, that will allow you to remove the lower fill hose without all the oil spilling out. (with no vent, the oil doesn’t flow) Maybe the “flush” hole is to mechanically remove or blow out? Not familiar with that. And yes, the upper plug nearer the trim switch is the motor oil.

Look for a bottle pump that fits your engine.

While I was browsing for your lower unit lube pump, I ran across this and wondered if it might be your “flush” port.

http://www.amazon.com/Camco-65501-Yourself-Boat-Winterizer/dp/B0000AXQU2/ref=pd_sim_263_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=4116bVEqD5L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=093ZHKSPZZQDS27XATG7

What horsepower is your motor? Those 4 stroke are white Suzuki’s, try looking up their manual.

It’s 40 hp evinrude 4-stroke…I found a brief blurb on the flush port – I guess it’s for running water through without having to have the motor running…mostly to flush out salt for the folks in brackish/ocean waters.

Thanks guys!

Link to Suzuki manuals

http://www.instant-manual.com/1988-2009_Suzuki_Outboard_Engine_Service_Manuals.html

Nate,
I dug up some pictures of past maintenance to give you some visual ideas. Depending on the volume of oil in your motor, here are 2 different draining options.

Lower unit oil pump

Hey those are great! I just might forgo the oil extractor and use your duct tape a bottle method – thanks much Dave, greatly appreciated

Are the suzukis and evinrudes pretty similar? I’m just learning all this stuff – thanks again!

Nate Northup wrote:

Are the suzukis and evinrudes pretty similar? I’m just learning all this stuff – thanks again!

Same except for color.Made for OMC and then BRP by Suzuki.Excellent motors.

You may want to double-check year of your motor,I believe Evinrude went with E-TEC that year?Johnson was white or graphite grey?

Yeah I believe the model was a 2001 but it was manufactured in ’04…I know it was one of the last years they made their 4-strokes. According to the guy I bought it from anyway, haha.

The serial number on the motor will direct you to what year the motor is.

for those of you who dont have manuals,Seloc prints some dang good manuals that cover several different horsepowers of the same year,O’Rielleys auto parts carries them,and am sure others do also,or google secloc and order online.

here they run 15-30 bucks depending on what you have,cheap knowledge for sure,and a very easy read.

E40PL4SI – that’s the placard that’s stamped…does the 4 = 2004?

Nate, Evinrude has a decoder ring for model years. The “SI” is the code that identifies your motor year. According to their chart, this motor is a 2001.

oh good deal. Thanks for all the info, Dave – got everything all taken care of yesterday! Sure beats paying $120 for the shop to do it!